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Hall chats with fans about D-backs' direction

Hall chats with fans about D-backs' direction

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During his monthly web chat with fans, D-backs president and CEO Derrick Hall discussed the idea of adding a humidor to Chase Field, opening next season in Taiwan and the search for a permanent general manager and manager.

Derrick Hall: Welcome to today's chat. The team has been playing great of late, which has been fun to watch. Let's get started.

bax518: Do you plan on signing Enright and Hudson to multiyear deals?

Hall: We are fortunate to have these guys under control for the next six years, so do not need to address long-term deals at this point. It is refreshing to know we have such young and talented arms for the future in Enright, Hudson, Parker, and Kennedy. Also, Hudson was named National League Rookie of the Month today.

beto23: Hello what are your expectation for next year?

Hall: We want to win and it can definitely happen. With a few additions to the bullpen, this team could experience very positive results. It can change quickly, as evidenced by the Padres and their season they are experiencing since shoring up their pen as well.

bax518: What are the plans for Gibson as manager, will he be permanent?

Hall: I love the job Kirk has done. He continues to change the environment, while bringing accountability and professionalism to the table every day. I would like to name the permanent General Manager before we look at Gibby. I plan on having the GM named before season's end.

bax518: Are there any plans for other heritage days such as Italian, Irish, or any others in the years to come?

Hall: We have been expanding the list for sure. This season we had Hispanic, Native American, African American, and Jewish. Many of these are treated as large group sales, coordinated by community leaders who wish to celebrate their heritage.

odogfan1: I just saw the list of D-back Minor Leaguers who will be at Fall League and I notice Jarrod Parker is not on the list. Can you tell us why?

Hall: Our original intention was to pitch Parker in the Fall League, however, we would like to take a more conservative and cautious route. He is coming along better than expected in his rehab and ahead of schedule, but we think he should be placed in a less stressful environment, as we get him ready for spring at 100 percent.

bax518: When is Clay Zavada expected to return?

Hall: Zavada, just like Parker, is recovering from Tommy John surgery. He had the surgery performed after the season began, so we would expect him to return at some point after next season begins.

tazees60: Do you feel that with the addition of Hudson into the pitching staff it is moving you in the right direction? Because as is proven good -- pitching stops good hitting.

Hall: We are thrilled with Hudson and had targeted him for a while. He is an extreme talent and immediately improved our rotation. We will likely need to find one more arm for the rotation before next season, but the staff is shaping up nicely.

phil2002: Monday night after the win over the Padres, I was listening to Diamond Talk on 620 and I heard something about changing the dimensions of Chase Field. Did I hear the conversation correctly?

Hall: You heard correctly, but nothing has been decided by any stretch of the imagination. I am not crazy about changing the park in any way. We are looking at ways to better balance the pitching and offense, and changing dimensions and adding a humidor are always discussed as ways of doing so. We have had these discussions for five years. We just need to make sure we are never in the position of having agents tell us their players do not want to pitch here because of the offensive imbalance. A humidor made a difference in Colorado, yet it is still a very hitter-friendly ballpark. It doesn't solve every problem scientifically, but it has done a lot mentally, and guys are now able to grip and feel the ball.

rapilot: What's the No. 1 priority for the D-backs in 2011?

Hall: It is definitely the bullpen and pitching in general. We would like to beef up the back-end of the bullpen by trading for a closer or signing one in the off-season. A few more solid arms in the pen, including another lefty would really help.

manteifan: Are there any plans in place to keep the All-Star Game in Phoenix next summer? The closer it gets the more vocal the protesters will be.

Hall: I have heard no indications that the game will be anywhere but here next year. We are excited for it and have been planning with Major League Baseball since the conclusion of Anaheim's game. In our opinion, and from all signs, it is business as usual.

Nejhan: Greetings yet again from Sweden! What's the feeling and moral like in the clubhouse and locker room these day, now that you are winning more games? Any notable difference?

Hall: Winning always helps a culture and the morale. The guys seem to be having fun and clicking really well. I do credit the wins for a great deal of that, but I also credit Gibby and his approach. He is really changing the environment where the guys all believe in themselves and act like winners.

betty62: Will all the coaches be under evaluation, particularly the pitching coach? It is more than coincidental that a few of our pitchers have prospered with other teams after minor adjustments that we seem to not be able to do.

Hall: Yes, all of the coaches will be evaluated. If Gibby is our manager, or anyone else for that matter, he will make the recommendations for who he wants on his staff. I can tell you that the staff he has right now is an extremely hard-working and dedicated group.

rosales47girl: Are you planning on trying to get any big name pitchers for next season or are you hoping to keep the ones we have? I have to say that Enright and Hudson have been so fun to watch and congrats to Hudson for winning the rookie award for August.

Hall: We feel good about our starters and will likely look to add one in the offseason. We also hope to have Parker come up and join the staff at some point in the season.

rosales47girl: I want to say that you did a great job with the ceremony for Gonzo. Are there any other numbers that you may plan on retiring? Also, Gonzo was pleased with the scrapbook that I gave him.

Hall: Thank you. That was a special night for a special person. I am proud of our staff for the job they did with the entire event. It was classy and well-deserved. I would think that No. 51 deserves a retirement soon too.

Nejhan: Any more news on maybe opening the 2011 season in Taiwan? Pros and cons about this idea? Any deadline for when it has to be decided?

Hall: It has some legs for sure. The con is obviously the possibility of tiring our players from the travel. Additionally, we would need to shuffle our spring schedule with the Rockies so that we do not lose any spring games at our new home. The positives are the Asian exposure that our club would receive, the international staging and branding of our organization, and the once-in-a-lifetime experience we would provide for these players. I am all for promoting this great game globally, and if the D-backs can be in front of the line in doing so, we should all be proud.

dthauge14: In the last few weeks I feel like LaRoche has stepped into the veteran leadership role, what is his status with the team for the future and are their plans to bring another veteran bat to the lineup?

Hall: Great question. We definitely want to bring more veterans to this team. LaRoche has been outstanding. We do have an option on him for 2011, but we would be willing to extend that. We have broached the subject with him, so we will see if that ever picks back up again. Either way, it has been great having a true left-handed first baseman who is so good defensively and has been on an offensive tear the second half.

Hall: That is all the time we have for today's chat. I want to thank everyone again for being a part of it. Let's hope this team continues to develop in the right direction as we build the much-needed momentum going into 2011. Go D-backs!